The invention relates generally to footrests and more particularly to systems and methods for supporting a user's feet in confined spaces such as between rows of seats on airplanes, trains and the like.
Seating on airplanes, trains, busses and the like may be very restrictive. In many cases, rows of seats are placed very close to each other in order to increase the number of passengers that may be accommodated. Often, particularly in coach-class seating, no footrests are provided for passengers, due to such considerations as space and economy.
The lack of a footrest may be more than a minor inconvenience for some travelers. For instance, because a passenger has little opportunity to leave his or her seat, and in some cases may not be allowed to leave the seat, the passenger's feet and legs do not get sufficient exercise or even movement to maintain proper blood circulation. As a result, the passenger may experience cramps, swelling, or even blood clots (e.g., deep vein thrombosis). This problem obviously becomes worse as the length of time during which the passenger is confined to the seat increases, such as on overseas flights, and may be aggravated for passengers of shorter stature, whose feet may not reach the floor.